Game apparatus



Aug. 2, 1932. BRlDGERs 1,37@,1.68

GAME APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1930 H i zki ams,

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFECE GAME APPARATUSApplication filed April 10,

This invention relates to game apparatus and its aim is to provide afascinating and instructive source of pleasure and amusement based on astory of the action of bootleggers 5 and law enforcement ofiicers.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in cnnection with theaccompanying drawing 1o illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the game board;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the boat game piece;

Figure 3 are elevations of game pieces representing law enforcementofficers;

Figure 4 are elevations of game pieces representing bootleggers;

Figure 5 are elevations of game pieces representing liquor containers;

Figure 6 are perspective views of stoppers for said containers; and

Figure 7 is a hiding device for one of the jugs or containers. 2

Referring specifically to the drawing and first to the game board, whichmay consist of a piece of cardboard or be of any structure desired andhave a river represented thereon as at 10, one bank thereof being showni at 11 and the opposite bank at 12. Each bank has a landing as at 13and 14, the landing 14 being concealed from the opposite shore.

Figure 2 represents a boat adapted for movement in the river and it isof a size to carry one of the men of Figures 3 and 4 and two of thecontainers of Figure 5 or two of said men.

The men of Figure 3 representing law enforcement officers are decoratedin such manner that they are different from each other and so that onewill represent a chief enforcement ofiicer and the other two representlieutenants.

As to the men or game pieces of Figure 4 representing bootleggers, eachwill be different in appearance and one will represent a boss or headbootlegger and the others lieutenants or assistants.

As to the receptacles or jugs shown in Figure 5, designated 15,16 and 17respectively,

1930. Serial No. 443,145.

they are identical in appearance except that they have removablestoppers as at 18, 19 and 20, bearing the words Scotch, Rye and Corn,respectively.

Figure 7 shows a hollow log or hiding member 21.

The law enforcement officers of Figure 3 are designated 22 for thechief, and 22 and 22 for his first and second lieutenants thebootleggers of Figure 4 are designated 23, one of which may beconsidered the boss, and the row boat of Figure 2, 24.

The game or puzzle is played or worked by manipulating the boat, thevarious figures, and the jugs in accordance with the following story,and in such manner that at no time areany of the bootleggers found onthe same side of the river with a greater number of oflicers, the boatupon reaching land being classed as part of the shore on which it haslanded. The story follows:

Three bootleggers while transporting their wares, the jugs of threevarieties of liquor, are blocked by the river 10. They discover a smallboat 24 at the landing 14, the landing 7 being concealed from theopposite side of the river where is located a landing 13. As here toforestated, the boat is of such a size that only two of the men, or one manand two jugs can be transported at a time. Near the landing is also ahiding place for a single jug indicated by the hollow log 21. Beforethey can secrete a jug and begin crossing the river they are apprehendedby three prohibition oficers.

Both parties are heavily armed and are evenly matched. After a parley itdevelops that the enforcement oflicers desire also to cross the river,and that all the men except the two junior officers, 22 and 22, can row.The chief officer 22, noting the size of the boat, and realizing thatthe bootleggers must separate, considers that, as at sometime dur ingthe process of crossing the officers will find themselves with a smallernumber of bootleggers, an easy capture may be effected. He thereforeagrees to do his share of the rowing and to follow without protest anyplan of crossing that the boss bootlegger may suggest, but stipulatesthat he will not transfer any of the whiskey. The bootleggers agree thatnone of them will rebel or attempt to escape.

The chief oflicer tells the boss bootlegger, in a preliminary parleythat neither of his lieutenants will touch liquor in the presence ofwitnesses, but that, when alone, his first lieutenant 22 will indulge inRye or Corn liquor, while the other lieutenant 22" is partial to eitherCorn or Scotch. As the chief ofiicer indicates an interest in the jug ofScotch the boss bootlegger correctly surmises that he also has aweakness and determines not to give him an opportunity at the Scotcheven in the presence of his own lieutenants.

The bootleggers obviously cannot conceal any of the jugs in the presenceof any of the officers, but may of course transfer them across theriver.

The puzzle is solved by executing the various moves in accordance withthe foregoing conditions, in the least possible number of crossings,with the labor of rowing as evenly divided as possible, bearing in mindthe conditions set forth in the story that neither of the junioro'll'cers can row, and that the chief officer will not transport any ofthe whiskey.

It can be played as a game, by one side representing the bootleggers,the other the officers. The bootlcggers determine the order and methodof play, and a system of scori; g is adopted whereby the bootleggers archarged with a point for each crossing, with added penalties for falsemoves, if detected, and further penalties for the return of men orwhiskey captured by the other side. When the crossing has beencompleted. the score is totaled. The other side then tries, and thelesser score wins.

One way of solving the puzzle involved herein is as follows: (Firstmove) The chief officer takes over the second lieutenant and brings theempty boat back. (Second move). The boss bottlegger takes over the jugmarked Rye, and brings empty heat back. (Third move) The chief oflicertakes over the first lieutenant and brings empty boat back. While theofficers are on the other side of the river, the boss bootlegger swapsthe corks which are the only distinguishing marksv between the jugs ofScotch and Corn and puts the Scotch in a secret hiding place. (Fourthmove) The third bootlegger takes over the second bootlegger and bringsthe second lieutenant back. (Fifth move) The boss bootlegger takes overthe chief oflicer and the second bootlegger brings the first lieutenantback. (Sixth move): The second bootlegger takes over the thirdbootlegger and the chief officer brings empty boat back. (Seventh move)The chief oh'icer takes over the second lieutenant and the bossbootlegger brings the empty boat back. (Eighth move);- The bossbootlegger takes over the jugs of Scotch and Corn and the thirdbootlegger brings the empty boat back. (Ninth move) The third bootlcggertakes over the first lieutenant.

The game or puzzle, may be simplified by agreeing that the firstlieutenant will drink only Rye, and the second lieutenant will drinkonly Corn, or it may be complicated by decreasing the number ofbootleggers who can row.

It will be apparent that the selection of prohibition enforcementofficers, bootleggers and liquors, the boat and a hollow log arearbitrary. It will be understood, therefore, that any other game piecesmay be substituted as may be found desirable, and the locale indicatedby the game board changed to conform, without altering the spirit andscope of the invention provided such changes fall within the scope ofthe claim.

I claim as my invention Game apparatus comprising a game piece torepresent a row boat, a set of game pieces representing law enforcementofficers, a second set of game pieces representing boot-- leggers, athird set of game pieces representing containers for liquor, said gamepieces of each set the same in number and being selectively applicableto the boat, the pieces of the first and second mentioned sets of gamepieces being individually distinguished from each other in appearanceand the third mentioned set of game pieces having interchangeableidentifying means, the boat having a capacity to convey two of thepieces of the first and second mentioned sets or one piece of either setwith two of the pieces of the third set, in combination with a gameboard having a representation of a body of water adapted to be traversedby the boat.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

BURKE H. nni'nunns.

